An American soldier who fled the United States while facing child pornography charges has reappeared in a Russian military propaganda video, revealing that the skills he learned in the Air Force now help him serve the Kremlin.
Wilmer Puello-Mota boarded a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, on January 7, the same week he was scheduled to appear in a Rhode Island court on charges of possession of child pornography, obstruction of the justice system, forgery and smuggling.
In a video distributed by the Russian Defense Ministry, a man named Will recalls traveling from the United States to Moscow in January, and then to Donetsk, where he “served for three months.”
From then on, “he had some friends who later served in the Ministry of Defense.”
In a video distributed by the Russian Defense Ministry, a man named Will recalls traveling from the United States to Moscow in January, and then to Donetsk, where he “served for three months.”
Those friends encouraged him to join Brigade 137, the apparent filming location of the video, telling him it was “cool.”
“So I decided to join them and here we are,” he said.
Former colleagues and associates have since confirmed that the man in the Russian Defense Ministry images appears to be Puello-Mota, 27. Stars and Stripes reported.
In the vision, he rejects suggestions that he is a traitor for abandoning the United States and fighting for Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.
“The United States and Russia are not at war,” he said. “I do not consider myself a traitor.”
Puello-Mota described the training he received in the United States during his time in the United States Air Force and the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
“We deal with things like drones and other things… I’ve definitely been able to apply some of those skills, leadership skills here as well,” he said.
Puello-Mota described the training he received in the U.S. during his time in the U.S. Air Force and the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
In the vision, he rejects suggestions that he is a traitor for abandoning the United States and fighting for Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.
His role in Russia is as a reconnaissance drone operator. A Facebook profile purportedly belonging to Puello-Mota shows a photo posted in February of him operating a drone in military uniform.
He also referred to the two years he spent as an elected “councilman” in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
It was during that time, he said, that he was able to “look out to the international level of politics,” which gave him an overwhelming feeling that “I had to do something about it.”
He did not mention in the clip that he was arrested in Rhode Island in 2020 and skipped his court date when he traveled to Russia.
Puello-Mota called police to report that his firearm had been stolen from his bedroom. When police arrived, they found nude images of a 17-year-old girl on his phone, leading to his arrest.
He was later charged with trying to mislead prosecutors and his commanders about the case.
He did not mention in the clip that he was arrested in Rhode Island in 2020 and skipped his trial date when he traveled to Russia.